The first of the Tao Te Ching's two great war chapters, addressed to advisers: whoever assists a ruler in accordance with the Tao will not use military force to dominate the world — for such things always rebound. The rebound is then made brutally concrete: where armies have camped, thorns and brambles grow; after great wars come years of famine. Violence does not end at the enemy; it poisons the ground it was fought on.
The chapter allows that force is sometimes unavoidable, and legislates its manner: a good commander achieves results and stops — he does not dare press on for dominance. Achieve results, but do not boast, do not brag, do not be proud; achieve results because there was no choice. Necessity may compel the act, but never the triumph. The closing widens into a general law the book repeats elsewhere: when things reach their peak of strength, they begin to decay; this is called going against the Tao, and what goes against the Tao comes to an early end. Maximal force is always the beginning of collapse.
Key verses
Whoever assists a ruler in accordance with the Tao will not use military force to dominate the world — for such things always rebound. Where armies have camped, thorns and brambles grow. After great wars, years of famine surely follow. A good commander achieves results and stops; he does not dare to press on for dominance. Achieve results, but do not boast; achieve results, but do not brag; achieve results, but do not be proud. Achieve results because there was no choice, and do not push on to dominate. When things reach their peak strength, they begin to decay — this is called going against the Tao. What goes against the Tao comes to an early end.
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